[Artemis]

Originally Posted by G30M

those who pit on lap 1 and 2 will be killed by ANY safety cars as those who stay out and pit under 2x SCs will be laughing.

however i don't think there were any SCs last year. normally there there are at least 1.

2024 GP was red flagged - several cars out during the first lap. Standing re-start (lap 3) instead of a rolling start behind the Safety Car. Very boring race.

"In 2024
In the Monaco Grand Prix drivers usually pit just once to change tyres, but last year, out of a theoretical field of 20, only six drivers made an actual in-race pit stop. That was because the race was red flagged on the opening lap so that all the drivers still in the race were able to immediately adhere to the rule that two different compounds must be used, with the nine who started on the Medium switching to Hard and the remaining 11 doing the opposite. After the restart, only six drivers actually pitted under racing conditions. Of these, Guanyu Zhou opted for Softs but clearly gained no performance advantage as he was still last. It made for a dull race, with the top ten taking the chequered flag in grid order."
https://press.pirelli.com/two-pit-st...ory-in-monaco/

[AmuroRay]

Originally Posted by M5Rick

I'm not so sure, with the two stops demanded by the regulators and SC's mixed in, it could fall into LH's lap, the same does for Alonso.

Ferrari is slow in slow speed corners - but these guys act like Ham never won there before, once in 2008 (second F1 year) Max didn't win it until he had the fastest car, and even then he barely won it 2 times.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by AmuroRay

Ferrari is slow in slow speed corners - but these guys act like Ham never won there before, once in 2008 (second F1 year) Max didn't win it until he had the fastest car, and even then he barely won it 2 times.

Not good for them, I did say it could fall into LEW's lap or any others depending on the luck of the draw, it will be a bit like a Las Vegas roulette wheel come the day but I'm still putting my chips on red 1 getting pole and seing what number is on the wheel after 2 hours when it stops spinning.

[AmuroRay]

Honestly, Lew has been my favorite driver since Michael (who basically got me into F1) I would love to see him walk off with 1-2 more WDCs.

But with the way Ferrari is...it's going to be tough. But I see him like I saw Brady. Still sharp, but now more cerebral than pure athleticism. Let's hope they make smart choices and it's an interesting race.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by AmuroRay

Honestly, Lew has been my favorite driver since Michael (who basically got me into F1) I would love to see him walk off with 1-2 more WDCs.

But with the way Ferrari is...it's going to be tough. But I see him like I saw Brady. Still sharp, but now more cerebral than pure athleticism. Let's hope they make smart choices and it's an interesting race.

Don't know about more WDC's but he might get lucky at Monaco, LEW was born around 35 miles from me at the time and I did bump into his dad once by the Brands pits at a BTCC race ages ago where his other son was competing and he still does.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by AmuroRay

Honestly, Lew has been my favorite driver since Michael (who basically got me into F1) I would love to see him walk off with 1-2 more WDCs.

But with the way Ferrari is...it's going to be tough. But I see him like I saw Brady. Still sharp, but now more cerebral than pure athleticism. Let's hope they make smart choices and it's an interesting race.

There's a place under the stars for everyone.

1 Monaco circuit, 20 contenders, 20 chances: the stars will align for someone in Monaco this race weekend.

[AmuroRay]

Honestly, I think it's in everyone's best interest that Ferrari and Mercedes catch up to RB and McLaren. Lando just isn't good - he's a midfield talent that has the quickest car. If Max was in that car, the WDC would be over. If Lewis was in that car, it would be over.

But watching McLaren fumble the bag, just pathetic.

[Chihuahua]

Originally Posted by wizardofOz

Is anyone missing the V10 engine cars screaming through the Monaco tunnel??

Nope! I watch the V10 era races pretty regularly on the F1 app But I get your point, yes we need a new engine formula - the current one completely sucks.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by AmuroRay

Honestly, I think it's in everyone's best interest that Ferrari and Mercedes catch up to RB and McLaren. Lando just isn't good - he's a midfield talent that has the quickest car. If Max was in that car, the WDC would be over. If Lewis was in that car, it would be over.

But watching McLaren fumble the bag, just pathetic.

Verstappen and Hamilton as team mates: now that would be fascinating.

Regardless of decades of race experience and optimized race skills, the adverse impact of advanced age is part of the equation. The vast majority of F1 pilots retire before their 40s. The human body at the age of 27 (Verstappen) versus 40 (Hamilton): we're not the same person we used to be, extra efforts required to keep up with the youngsters (physicality - performance - recovery).

Imola race weekend (a week after the "Franz Hermann" NLS GT3 stunt at the Nürburgring):
F1 Free Practice - F1 qualies - sim racing for about 2 hours at 11pm (Nürburgring Endurance - race leader) - F1 race (race win + fastest lap + driver of the day) + F1 media obligations.
No issue for Verstappen.

[AmuroRay]

I'm not the guy I was 10 years ago either, but you can still be a world class performer, which Hamilton is. He has talent to spare, and he's going to need ever bit of it.

I think they showed this year that at race start, his reaction time was tied with others for the lowest. He's also a vegan, so that helps with recovery and endurance. I have no doubt that Ham is still fast, but I think he (along with the car he drives) is a lot more peaky than he used to be.

The issue here is that Ham like cars that are low and stiff - he likes oversteer. The issue is that these cars are unpredictable if driven the way he's used to, so he's basically needing to learn to drive all over again, and it says a lot that he's still competitive doing something that's out of his comfort zone.

I think he'll be in the mix for the WDC for sure.

[Davil]

New look Newey sighted.

[G30M]

Originally Posted by Artemis

There's a place under the stars for everyone.

1 Monaco circuit, 20 contenders, 20 chances: the stars will align for someone in Monaco this race weekend.

That's the same for every race. Except only a few people will have a realistic chance to reach the end as P1.

By the end of Q3 you will see practically zero chance rain hail or shine if you're Lawson, Yuki, either Haas, either Sauber. The rest of the midfield have a remote chance. Every race. Same for Monaco procession. Slightly higher chance for the midfield, but only slightly.

Unless it rains in Qualifying...

[Straykiwi]

I think Monaco plus rain during qualifying plus the new mandatory pit stops have a better than outside chance for a surprise result, like having one of the bottom five teams steal a podium if events conspire.

[M5Rick]

Originally Posted by G30M

That's the same for every race. Except only a few people will have a realistic chance to reach the end as P1.

By the end of Q3 you will see practically zero chance rain hail or shine if you're Lawson, Yuki, either Haas, either Sauber. The rest of the midfield have a remote chance. Every race. Same for Monaco procession. Slightly higher chance for the midfield, but only slightly.

Unless it rains in Qualifying...

Agree and last I looked there is little chance of rain though it will be cloudy.

[M5Rick]

I see the bookies are laying odds only on the basis of the current points standings.

[M5Rick]

FP1 and Charlie living just around the corner means business even with being slow out of the slow corners in the F-25, tops at the mo on softs but the gaps are still big and the Larens are sniffing up just behind.
Both RB's were trundling around on hards and now changed to softs... while LEW had a moment avoiding rookies being boxed in and touching a wall then jumping over a chicane as his 25 is checked for damage.
Hold my beer as MAX goes second on those C6's to jump both Larens as Charlie holds on with his new front wing.

[HeelToeShift]

Originally Posted by AmuroRay

Ferrari is slow in slow speed corners - but these guys act like Ham never won there before, once in 2008 (second F1 year) Max didn't win it until he had the fastest car, and even then he barely won it 2 times.

The irony - when Ham won he had the fastest car in F1 by a mile. LOL

[HeelToeShift]

Originally Posted by AmuroRay

I'm not the guy I was 10 years ago either, but you can still be a world class performer, which Hamilton is. He has talent to spare, and he's going to need ever bit of it.

I think they showed this year that at race start, his reaction time was tied with others for the lowest. He's also a vegan, so that helps with recovery and endurance. I have no doubt that Ham is still fast, but I think he (along with the car he drives) is a lot more peaky than he used to be.

The issue here is that Ham like cars that are low and stiff - he likes oversteer. The issue is that these cars are unpredictable if driven the way he's used to, so he's basically needing to learn to drive all over again, and it says a lot that he's still competitive doing something that's out of his comfort zone.

I think he'll be in the mix for the WDC for sure.

Again, let's bet on this. To be in the mix he'd literally need to win almost every remaining race this season given the current standings and that is not happening when he literally cant even beat a rookie in his old car. He won't be 'in the mix' so I'll save this one for another one of your delusional predictions.
You actually need to win races to be in the fight and despite one of the fastest cars on the grid he has yet to do that. In fact, Max has won as many races this season as Ham has in the last 4 season (nearly 80 races) because when the cars moved to ground effects, they require a lot of skill and talent to drive and Ham simply has none of either and the entire F1 world is seeing that and it's honestly great to see everyone realize he really was never that good.

[M5Rick]

Ok another hour of FP started, I'm walking the dog then having me some fish

[BeEmVe]

Kinda interesting that this year the Monaco F1 race is in the news a bit more than usual. Nearly 30 years ago I lived 40 km west of Monaco. So I took a day to visit Monaco when they were doing practice laps. It was fun to watch but damn it was loud. The sound just reverberated off the buildings. The week of the race would be a good time not to be living there. Of course it is one of those things that if the timing is right it is worth a day visit.

[AmuroRay]

Originally Posted by HeelToeShift

The irony - when Ham won he had the fastest car in F1 by a mile. LOL

In 2008? No.
In 2018? No.

[HeelToeShift]

Originally Posted by AmuroRay

In 2008? No.
In 2018? No.

Wrong again - check your F1 facts a bit more since he didnt even win in 2018 despite having the fastest car.